Consolidate Your Debt

Why It Makes Sense to Consolidate Your Debt

Is your income less than your expenses? Do you have a lot of unsecured debt? Are you having trouble making your payments? Are you late on your payments? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, it may be time to consolidate your debt.

When you consolidate your debt, you can control your finances by making one payment instead of several every month. There are several ways to do this, but the best method is to contact a consolidated credit counseling organization that can help you explore options and devise a strategy for managing your finances until you become debt-free.

Finding a Reputable Credit Counseling Agency to Consolidate Your Debt

When you're ready to consolidate your debt, it's time to find a reputable credit counseling agency that can assist you. There are many organizations that claim to be experts, but how do you find the right one for you?

When you're searching for a debt consolidation company, here are some questions to ask to make sure you find a legitimate organization that can help you solve your financial problems:

What fees are charged? Non-profit debt consolidation companies will typically charge more modest fees than for-profit companies. However, budget counseling should always be free.

What happens if I can't afford to pay the fees? If the agency refuses to help you because you can't pay its fees, find another one that will.

Does the agency provide free information? The best non-profit credit counseling agencies offer free educational resources, variety of topics, from budgeting to credit, to student loans.

Are the counselors accredited or certified? Legitimate credit counseling agencies are affiliated with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) or the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA).

How will the plan to consolidate your debt work? Ask about the types of debts that can be included in your plan and what the estimated new monthly payment will be as well as the new pay off time. The plan to consolidate your debt is usually paid off in 5 years or less.

How is the agency able to lower or eliminate interest and fees? Most often the agency is able to work with creditors for such reductions but check with the counseling agency to learn more about this.

Can the credit counselor help you avoid future financial problems? While a program to consolidate your debt is the key to resolving your current debt situation, planning to prevent future dilemmas is critical to maintaining control of your finances.

Is it Time to Consolidate Your Debt?

If it's time to consolidate your debt, American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) can help. Our professionally trained, certified counselors are standing by to answer your questions about debt management and financial planning. Our expertise shows through our 25 years of experience helping thousands of clients with debt consolidation relief. We are a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) and are accredited through the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating, so you can be assured of superior customer service.